Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Interventions in Faith-Based Settings: A Systematic Review Using the Reach, Effectiveness/Efficacy, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance Framework

• Published in: American journal of preventive medicine Vol. 60; no. 1; pp. 127 - 135
• Main Authors: Dunn, Caroline G, Wilcox, Sara, Saunders, Ruth P, Kaczynski, Andrew T, Blake, Christine E, Turner-McGrievy, Gabrielle M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Science Ltd 01.01.2021
• Subjects: Behavior; Dissemination; Eating behavior; Efficacy; English language; Environmental policy; Evidence-based medicine; Exercise; Generalizability; Health behavior; Health care; Healthy food; Implementation; Individual differences; Intervention; Obesity; Physical activity; Policy making; Public health; Systematic review; Translation
• DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2020.05.014
• ISSN: 0749-3797

Faith-based health interventions may improve obesity-related health behaviors, including healthy eating and physical activity. However, the generalizability of results and comprehensiveness of reporting for critical design elements sufficient for large-scale implementation and broad public health impact are unclear. This review assesses the degree to which faith-based healthy eating and physical activity programs report intervention elements using the reach, effectiveness/efficacy, adoption, implementation, maintenance framework. A systematic literature search was initiated in June 2017, and updated searches concluded in December 2019. Articles were included if they (1) were published in an English language peer-reviewed journal, (2) were conducted in the U.S., (3) were interventions, (4) included individual-level healthy eating or physical activity behavioral outcomes, (5) were conducted within an organizational setting, and (6) were faith-based. Intervention elements were extracted, and comprehensiveness of reporting for intervention elements was assessed according to reach, effectiveness/efficacy, adoption, implementation, maintenance domains. A total of 38 interventions (46 articles) met the inclusion criteria. Most were conducted at the individual/interpersonal level (66%); few included additional elements of policy or environmental change (34%). Most interventions showed favorable changes in at least 1 health behavior outcome. No intervention addressed all reach, effectiveness/efficacy, adoption, implementation, maintenance indicators. The mean level of reporting was low for all reach, effectiveness/efficacy, adoption, implementation, maintenance dimensions (reach: 2.3 of 5 [SD=1.0] indicators, efficacy/effectiveness: 2.3 of 4 [SD=0.8] indicators, adoption: 3.7 of 6 [SD=1.4] indicators, implementation: 1.3 of 3 [SD=0.6] indicators, maintenance: 0.3 of 3 [SD=0.5] indicators). Studies reporting outcomes of faith-based interventions to improve healthy eating/physical activity behaviors lack the information necessary to understand the potential for broad dissemination and implementation in community settings. Future studies should report on the considerations for the translation and dissemination of evidence-based programs to expand public health impact.